Confession

After eating their fill and seeing that it was still early, someone suggested going out for karaoke. At their age, none of them had developed the habit of going to bars yet, so singing seemed like a good idea.

Jiang Bei had no objections and followed the group outside. Xiao Wei, paying attention to their intention to leave, called over Sun Yao, who, as the general manager, personally escorted Jiang Bei out the door.

“Thank you, your service is excellent.”

“You’re welcome, it’s our duty. Take care, Mr. Jiang.”

A few girls in the class chattered as they debated for a while, finally deciding on a KTV in the city center, not far from the hotel.

Since the place wasn’t far, there was no need to take a car. Jiang Bei lit a cigarette and strolled over with the others.

He had actually noticed Yang Xue by his side, who seemed like she wanted to say something but hesitated. She’d been this way during dinner, and now again. It was a bit odd—what could it be about?

“Xiaoxue, why do you keep sneaking glances at me?”

Yang Xue blushed. Girls, after all, aren’t thick-skinned. She became instantly flustered and annoyed. “Who’s sneaking glances at you? Shameless!”

With that, she refused to give Jiang Bei a chance to reply, striding ahead and melting into the group of girls.

Jiang Bei wasn’t particularly interested in singing, so when he entered the private room, he automatically took a seat in the corner, pulled out his phone, and prepared to play a game.

Lately, he’d been challenging himself with a new single-player game called “Mechanical Maze.” Although it was a standalone game, there was a ranking system similar to game-center, and the top three users, judging by their usernames, appeared to be foreigners.

Jiang Bei himself was somewhere around rank one hundred. Climbing higher would take some time, though considering he’d only been playing for two days… perhaps it wouldn’t be long before he reached the top.

Everyone in the class had spent three years together and was well aware of Jiang Bei’s “odd” temperament, so when they saw him playing on his phone, nobody paid it any mind.

They were used to it.

A few girls took to the stage and began singing, followed by the boys, who grabbed the microphone and started belting out tunes in their rough, duck-like voices.

The atmosphere was lively and cheerful.

There was none of that melancholy you find in novels, where the characters, about to part ways after graduation, cry buckets over their impending separation. After all, what was there to cry about?

They were all locals of Wu City. During holidays, they could meet up anytime. And in this era, with smartphones and the internet, staying in touch was easier than ever.

Besides, at nineteen or twenty, just out of high school, how many people could truly grasp the sorrow of “the years ahead stretching long and lonely”?

All they wanted now was to have fun.

Two girls, plucking up their courage, selected a song about the beauty of young love and sang together, swaying to the melody.

At the same time, both pairs of eyes were clearly fixed on Jiang Bei, who had just put his phone away and stopped playing games.

It was a clear signal of confession.

Jiang Bei, however, had no idea what signal they were sending.

Yang Xue, nibbling on fruit not far away, understood. Girls are more perceptive, after all. She shook her head with a wry smile but decided not to intervene.

Because, really, youth needs its regrets—only then, when looking back, can you smile and reminisce.

Jiang Bei cracked some sunflower seeds, completely absorbed in his task.

The music ended. One of the two girls who’d been singing stepped back, while the other, still clutching the microphone, took a deep breath, as if trying to fill herself with courage.

Perhaps it was an illusion. Or perhaps... it wasn’t.

“Jiang Bei!” Her voice, overflowing with energy, sounded nothing like a confession; it was more as if she was about to pick a fight.

Hearing his name, Jiang Bei stopped with the seeds and looked up in confusion.

Their eyes met.

The fighting spirit faded a little.

The girl took another deep breath. At this point, the arrow was drawn, and she could not retreat. She thought resolutely, preparing to speak again.

The room had fallen silent. The other girls, knowing what was about to happen, watched her with sparkling eyes, eager for the drama to unfold.

The boys, for the most part, were bewildered, unable to make sense of the situation. But who could blame them? At their age, games and the internet were far more interesting than girls.

The girl’s cheeks flushed; she knew many classmates were watching her—just as she knew this confession was very likely to end in failure.

So, from a certain perspective, the point of this confession was not success or rejection, but to bring her secret crush to a close.

Just as their high school days were coming to an end.

Her beautiful secret love needed a proper ending, too.

“Jiang Bei, I like you.”

That was all. No “Will you be my boyfriend?” or anything of the sort.

So simple.

Jiang Bei smiled. “Thank you for liking me.”

His reply was equally simple, neither acceptance nor refusal.

Just a thank you for liking me at this beautiful age.

His tone, his words, were as gentle as a spring breeze.

The girl laughed, bright and carefree. “You’re welcome!”

Applause, laughter, and cheers filled the room.

An unexpectedly comfortable resolution had unfolded in that private room.

It seemed to give the other girls, those who had hesitated and nearly backed out, a subtle, unspoken encouragement.

Following the lead of the first confession, these innocent young girls found themselves emboldened, some even confessing together.

Was this how things were usually done?

It was all too amusing.

When they left the KTV, the night’s revelry was more or less over.

A few boys suggested spending the night at an internet café.

Jiang Bei declined. Sleep was a comfort he was unwilling to sacrifice.

“See you at school in a few days, then.”

“Bye-bye.”

The June night was already sultry. Jiang Bei and Yang Xue got out of a taxi together and walked slowly toward home.

Yang Xue hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. “Jiang Bei.”

“Hmm?”

“Why did you turn them all down? Don’t you have anyone you like?”

------------------------

At the same time, on a street a thousand miles away, Fang Yuan and her two closest friends were walking home side by side.

When girls are together, there is no avoiding the constant chatter.

In fact, Fang Yuan’s two friends had been chattering away for quite some time.

Finally, unable to take it any longer, Fang Yuan laughed in exasperation. “You two, that’s enough.”

“Hehe, then answer us. So many boys confessed to you—why did you turn them all down? Don’t you like anyone?”